Here’s a look at how AP’s general news coverage is shaping up for select stories. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s complete coverage of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware, and the rest of the world, visit Coverage Plan at newsroom.ap.org
Questions about coverage plans are welcome and should be directed to 919-510-8937, 202-641-9660, 410-837-8315, 804-643-6646 or metro@ap.org. Mid-South Assistant News Director Jonathan Drew can be reached at 919-510-8937 or jdrew@ap.org.
For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact AP Customer Support at apcustomersupport@ap.org or 877-836-9477.
This information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change. Expected stories may not develop, or late-breaking and more newsworthy events may take precedence. Coverage Plan will keep you up to date. All times are Eastern unless specified otherwise.
NORTH CAROLINA
WINTER WEATHER
NEW YORK — A winter weather system moving through the U.S. is expected to wallop the East Coast this weekend with a mix of snow and freezing rain. But forecasters say it’s too soon to say which areas will get snow and which will get rain and how much. The Pacific system is moving through Western and Southern states before moving up the East Coast this weekend. Major U.S. cities accustomed to white winters didn’t receive much snow last year due to a lack of cold air. The National Weather Service in New York City said this week that 2023 would go down as the city’s “least snowiness” year, with just 2.3 inches measured in Central Park. SENT: 230 words, photos, audio.
____
SOUTH CAROLINA
ELECTION 2024-HALEY
WASHINGTON — Nikki Haley’s rivals for the Republican presidential nomination are ratcheting up their attacks on her as Iowa’s first-in-the-nation voting draws closer. The barbed news releases, attack ads and amped up back-and-forth come as the former South Carolina governor and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis battle for a distant second place to former President Donald Trump with less than two weeks until Iowa’s leadoff caucuses. Trump’s campaign has long trained his focus on DeSantis but has increasingly shifted its target to Haley. DeSantis jumped on her for saying Wednesday night that voters in New Hampshire would have the opportunity to “correct” the decision made by Iowa caucusgoers. By Meg Kinnard. SENT: 590 words, photos, audio.
____
VIRGINIA
WISCONSIN REDISTRICTING
MADISON, Wis. — Two consultants hired to analyze new state legislative boundary lines in Wisconsin after the state’s high court tossed the current Republican-drawn maps will be paid up to $100,000 each in taxpayer money. Under the terms of the contracts made public Thursday, each consultant will be paid an hourly rate of $450, up to $100,000 total. The state director of courts has the authority to exceed the maximum amount if she determines it’s necessary. Last month, the court ruled that the current legislative maps are unconstitutional because many districts aren’t contiguous. By Scott Bauer. SENT: 490 words, photo.
____
LOCALIZATION
ELECTION 2024-STATE SUPREME COURTS: Crucial battles over abortion, gerrymandering, voting rights and other issues will take center stage in next year’s elections for state supreme court seats — 80 of them in 33 states. We offer a state-by-state breakdown and some suggested reporting tips. Find the latest Localize It guides.
AI-ELECTION 2024-LOCALIZE IT: Manipulated images and videos surrounding elections are nothing new — but 2024 is the first U.S. presidential contest where sophisticated AI tools that can produce convincing fakes in seconds are just a few clicks away. We provide key terms to know in your coverage, along with tips for identifying AI-generated content and details on state laws regulating political deepfakes. Find the latest Localize It guides.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-SHEDDING STOCKPILES-LOCALIZE IT: Some states that stockpiled millions of masks and other personal protective equipment during the coronavirus pandemic are now throwing the items away. An Associated Press survey found that at least 15 states have tossed out some of the PPE items because they are expiring or have more than they need, while others have sold extra materials at bargain prices or have tried to give away surplus masks, gowns and gloves but have had difficulty finding entities willing to take them. We list states that have thrown out PPE, those that say that haven’t and we offer tips on how to report this locally. Find the latest Localize It guides.
ABORTION-LEGISLATURES-LOCALIZE IT: The June 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that ended a national right to abortion did not end the political and legal battles surrounding it. Instead, it provided a jolt. Voters, courts and lawmakers are all likely to have a lot to say about state-level abortion policy in 2024. We break down the status of abortion bans in various states, offer an embed code for a map you can publish and suggested reporting tips. Find the latest Localize It guides.
EDUCATION-MISSING STUDENTS-LOCALIZE IT: After enrollment plunged in American public schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, an analysis published in February by The Associated Press found an estimated 230,000 students in 21 states who were still missing from school. These students didn’t move out of state, and they didn’t sign up for private school or homeschool. The AP is updating its analysis to reflect data that is now available from the 2022-2023 school year. With the new numbers, the estimate for the number of missing students is now around 50,000. The update shows the education system has moved closer to a post-pandemic equilibrium. However, it hardly means schooling is back to how it was before. This is a guide to localizing stories on missing students, with links to AP’s new data analysis. Find the latest Localize It guides.
____
AUDIO
A major storm sweeping the US is expected to bring heavy rain, snow to the East Coast this weekend
US calls for urgent UN action on attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on ships in the Red Sea
One attack, two interpretations: Biden and Trump both make the Jan. 6 riot a political rallying cry
A Texas father and son arrested in the killings of a pregnant woman and her boyfriend
____
NEW TO STORYSHARE: SOLUTIONS JOURNALISM NETWORK
Looking for more state news and photos? Sign up to participate in AP StoryShare, an online platform where news organizations from a growing list of states share content.
Besides state and regional news, StoryShare offers distinctive reporting around broad topics such as climate, education and Indigenous affairs. The platform now also has a network devoted to solutions-focused journalism.
Access to StoryShare is free for AP members. For account information, contact Jennifer Lehman at jlehman@ap.org or our team at storyshare@ap.org.
______________________________
If you have photos of regional or statewide interest, please send them to the AP state photo center in New York, 888-273-6867. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact AP Customer Support at apcustomersupport@ap.org or 877-836-9477.
——————————
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
